LINKING PEOPLE WITH NATURE: HIMAL PILOT INTERVENTION PROJECT IN BANGLADESH
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Implementing partners: Krykhong Para Village Development Committee
Project Period: 2000-2001
Project Location: Hlafaikhong, Bandarban
Funded by: IUCN Asia Region |
INTRODUCTION |
| The human communities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) almost entirely depend, for their livelihood, on the local hill forest resources. As a result, the forests are already in deplorably degraded condition, due to indiscriminate harvesting; only bushes survive at places to remind one of the erstwhile rich forests. This degradation is reported to be accelerating due to the settlers interventions. Therefore, there exists serious resentment among the indigenous people against the Government regarding the issue of land settlement and land tenure. In this context, under the Himal Mountain Ecosystem Conservation Programme initiated by IUCN’s Regional Sustainable Use Programme, a pilot project was launched in Bandarban Hill District in Bangladesh to demonstrate how natural resources might be managed sustainably and utilized through tools like collaborative management. The project was a pioneering one as it used people’s involvement right from the conceiving through planning up to implementation stage. And people’s participation had always been ignored in resource management in the past, it may be worthwhile to recall here. |
OBJECTIVES |
| Hence the overall objective of the pilot project was to develop and field-test a replicable model promoting an integrated ecosystem management approach, strengthening the linkage of the hill people with biodiversity conservation and equitable and sustainable use of natural resources in the Himal region in Bangladesh. |
APPROACH |
| The Himal Pilot Intervention Project in Bangladesh used a participatory approach that integrated ecological protection and restoration of human needs to strengthen the fundamental nexus between economic prosperity and environmental well being in the hill and mountain areas under the Himalayan mountain range in Bangladesh. This approach provides a framework drawing together the Government, the private sector, public groups and other stakeholders. It was goal-driven too, based on a collaboratively developed vision of desired future conditions that integrates ecological, economic, social and legal considerations. Community based management approach was followed in the implementation of the project. The natural resource management options and strategies were largely based on the bio-physical and socio-economic conditions of a specific site. For implementation of the project activities, area-specific resource conservation committees were formed jointly by the communities and the project staff. Two-layered resource conservation committees were formed at district and para (i.e. village) levels. The members of these committees were selected by the stakeholders themselves to ensure transparency and accountability. |
ACTIVITIES |
| The primary activities of the project were to demonstrate ecologically sustainable natural and especially, forest resource management practices that allowed access and benefits to all users, particularly the poor and the landless living at the ecosystem level. The project activities were planned and implemented on a participatory basis, which involved all local resource users and stakeholders in transparently conducted community-based planning, implementation and monitoring exercises. It was expected that the success of these community-based interventions, coupled with a comprehensive income generating programme would lead to the replication of this approach in other areas across the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). The major activities listed are as follows. |
- Participatory Resource Management Tools Development
- Development of Social Infrastructure Assisted
- Land Settlement and Resource Tenure System Facilitated
- Community Based Natural Resource Management Enhanced
- Agricultural Development Strengthened
- Development of Livelihood Assisted
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| OUTPUTS |
Six outputs were envisaged to achieve the above objectives. They were: |
- participatory resource management tools;
- participatory resource management strategy;
- social infrastructure;
- land settlement and resource tenures;
- community based natural resource management;
- agricultural development strengthened;
- livelihood bolstered.
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For further information, please contact: |
Country Representative
IUCN – The World Conservation Union
Bangladesh Country Office House # 11, Road # 138
Gulshan – 1, Dhaka – 1212
Bangladesh
Tel: 880-2- 9890395, 9890423
Fax: 880 –2 - 9892854
E- mail: nishat@iucnbd.org
Web : www.iucnbd.org |
